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Jokowi appoints Din Syamsuddin as special envoy for religious harmony
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For peace and harmony: President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo, accompanied by State Secretary Pratikno (left), talks with former Muhammadiyah chairman Din Syamsuddin (right) during a press conference at the Merdeka Palace in Jakarta on Oct. 23 on the latter's appointment as a special Presidential envoy for religious harmony. (Antara/Puspa Perwitasari)
P
resident Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has appointed Muhammad Sirajuddin "Din" Syamsuddin, the former Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) chairman and former chairman of Indonesia’s second largest Islamic organization Muhammadiyah, as a special envoy for religious harmony.
Speaking at the State Palace in Jakarta on Monday, Jokowi said Din would work to improve religious harmony in Indonesia through inter-religious dialogues and joint works, and share the invaluable lesson of Indonesia’s religious harmony in countries and at events abroad.
"Today, I have appointed Pak Din as a special Presidential envoy for inter-religious dialogues and works. He will develop religious harmony in Indonesia and promote it abroad," he said.
Din said he would work on the assignment as a service to the country because currently Indonesia was suffering from many inter-religious conflicts. In solving the conflicts, he promised to prioritize dialogue and compromise between religious followers.
"Actually, I had asked President Jokowi to appoint someone else but he said he needed me. I have done similar tasks previously and in my current position, I hope I can have a stronger positive effect," he said. (ebf)
